Centre to pull up Bihar from economic backwardness

Patna, Apr 29 (UNI) Concerned with the backwardness of Bihar, the Centre extended its helping hand to pull it out from the wretched financial condition and assured to consider proposals regarding establishment of export zones in the state.

After reviewing the possibilities of promoting export from Bihar, Union Minister of State for Commerce V Jayram Ramesh today promised to give top priority to the proposals of the state government for setting up different zones for providing market facilities to the horticulture, agriculture yields and handlooms, handicrafts, leather goods and others of this state.

Both Mr Ramesh and Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar during the day-long meeting discussed the potentiality for establishing the export zone and Patna haat in the state.

Flanked by Mr Kumar, the Union Minister of State for Commerce invited proposals from the state government for an overall economic development of the state and promised to seriously consider them.

Mr Ramesh opined that Bihars economy will get a boost once the yields enters into the global market as the produces ranging from agriculture, horticulture, handicrafts and others had the potential to tap the international market. The juice fruits and the goods depicting its art and culture, specially Madhubani painting, were high in demand in the foreign countries, he said and added that the government would take all possible measures to promote the business by providing international market to it.

The National Horticulture Mission was engaged in promoting horticulture and it had sanctioned Rs 30 crores to Bihar in the financial year 2005-06 for the purpose, he informed.

Overwhelmed with the immense export potential of Bihar, Mr Ramesh said the Patna Haat would be operational by the next 12 months and for establishment of the other export zones, a team of his ministry would soon visit the state for a detail review.

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